SARS-CoV-2 Seroprevalence and Vaccine Uptake among Pregnant Women at First Antenatal Care Visits in Malawi.

Many SARS-CoV-2 infections are asymptomatic, thus reported cases underestimate actual cases. To improve estimates, we conducted surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among pregnant women attending their first antenatal care visit (ANC1) from June 2021 through May 2022. We administered a questionnaire to collect demographic, risk factors, and COVID-19 vaccine status information and tested dried blood spots for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

Brief Report: Self-Reported HIV-Positive Status but Subsequent HIV-Negative Test Results in Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment Survey Participants-11 Sub-Saharan African Countries, 2015-2018.

Background: HIV testing is a critical step to accessing antiretroviral therapy (ART) because early diagnosis can facilitate earlier initiation of ART. This study presents aggregated data of individuals who self-reported being HIV-positive but subsequently tested HIV-negative during nationally representative Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment surveys conducted in 11 countries from 2015 to 2018.

Method: Survey participants aged 15 years or older were interviewed by trained personnel using a standard questionnaire to determine HIV testing history and self-reported HIV status.

Age-disparate and intergenerational sex partnerships and HIV: the role of gender norms among adolescent girls and young women in Malawi.

Background: Age-mixing (age-disparate [5-9 years difference] and intergenerational [≥ 10 years difference]) partnerships are hypothesized drivers of HIV in adolescent girls and young women (AGYW; 15-24 years). These partnerships are often associated with increased gender inequities which undermine women's agency and assertiveness. We assessed whether age-mixing partnerships were associated with HIV in Malawi and if endorsement of inequitable gender norms modifies this relationship.

Awareness of and willingness to use oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention among sexually active adults in Malawi: results from the 2020 Malawi population-based HIV impact assessment.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for all populations at substantial risk of HIV infection. Understanding PrEP awareness and interest is crucial for designing PrEP programs; however, data are lacking in sub-Saharan Africa. In Malawi, oral PrEP was introduced in 2018.

Trends in HIV prevalence, incidence, and progress towards the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets in Malawi among individuals aged 15-64 years: population-based HIV impact assessments, 2015-16 and 2020-21.

Background: In 2014, UNAIDS set the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 through the achievement of testing and treatment cascade targets. To evaluate progress achieved and highlight persisting gaps in HIV epidemic control in Malawi, we aimed to compare key indicators (prevalence, incidence, viral load suppression, and UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets) from the 2015-16 and 2020-21 Malawi Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) survey results.

Methods: The Malawi PHIAs were nationally representative, cross-sectional surveys with a two-stage cluster sampling design.